00:00After nearly five decades of mixing activism with ice cream, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, has officially stepped away from the company.
00:07Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen launched the brand in 1978, building it into a household name known as much for its chunky flavors as its outspoken social mission.
00:16In 2000, they sold the company to Unilever, a multinational conglomerate that promised to preserve Ben & Jerry's quirky, progressive identity.
00:23And for years, the brand continued to speak out on issues ranging from climate change to racial justice, often with more passion than most corporations dare to churn out.
00:32But things took a frosty turn in 2021 when Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop selling ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories, a move that sparked backlash and legal action.
00:42Unilever responded by reining in the brand's autonomy, and according to Greenfield, that was the beginning of the end.
00:47In a recent statement, he said, quote, if the company can't stand up for the things we believed in, then it wasn't worth being a company at all.
00:54So after 47 years, Greenfield has left the building, not because he's tired of ice cream, but because he's tired of the compromise.
01:00Ben Cohen remains involved, but Jerry's exit marks a symbolic split for the corporate cone.
01:05Critics are saying that Jerry's resignation is a dramatic overreaction, claiming that corporate ownership inevitably requires striking a balance between activism and the broader interests of stakeholders.
01:15Supporters, however, view his departure as a principled stand against censorship, applauding his refusal to compromise on the brand's original mission of social justice and human rights.
01:25So where do you stand? Is this a dramatic show or an inspiring show of activism?
01:29Let us know in the comments, and of course, follow us here for more.
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